Article 25Tasks of the responsible authority
1.The responsible authority shall be responsible for managing and implementing the multi-annual programme in accordance with the principle of sound financial management.
It shall in particular:
(a)consult partners in accordance with Article 10;
(b)submit to the Commission the proposals for multiannual and annual programmes to which Articles 17 and 19 refer;
(c)set up a cooperation mechanism with the managing authorities designated by the Member State for the purposes of the implementation of the actions under the ESF and the European Refugee Fund;
(d)organise and advertise calls for tenders and proposals, if appropriate;
(e)organise the selection of projects for co-financing under the Fund in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 13(5);
(f)receive payments made by the Commission, and make payments to the final beneficiaries;
(g)ensure consistency and complementarity between co-financing under the Fund and from other relevant national and Community financial instruments;
(h)monitor the delivery of the co-financed products and services and check that the expenditure declared for actions has actually been incurred and complies with Community and national rules;
(i)ensure that there is a system for recording and storing in computerised form accounting records of each action under the annual programmes and that the data on implementation necessary for financial management, monitoring, control and evaluation is collected;
(j)ensure that final beneficiaries and other bodies involved in the implementation of actions co-financed by the Fund maintain either a separate accounting system or an adequate accounting code for all transactions relating to the action, without prejudice to national accounting rules;
(k)ensure that the evaluations of the Fund referred to in Article 47 are carried out within the time limits laid down in Article 48(2) and meet the quality standards agreed between the Commission and the Member State;
(l)set up procedures to ensure that all documents regarding expenditure and audits required to ensure an adequate audit trail are held in accordance with the requirements referred to in Article 41;
(m)ensure that the audit authority receives, for the purposes of carrying out the audits defined in Article 28(1), all necessary information on management procedures operated and the projects co-financed by the Fund;
(n)ensure that the certifying authority receives all necessary information on the procedures and verifications carried out in relation to expenditure for the purpose of certification;
(o)draw up and submit to the Commission progress and final reports on the implementation of the annual programmes, declarations of expenditure certified by the certifying authority and requests for payment or where appropriate statements of reimbursement;
(p)carry out information and advisory activities; and disseminate results of supported actions;
(q)cooperate with the Commission and the responsible authorities in the other Member States;
(r)verify the implementation by the final beneficiaries of the guidelines referred to in Article 31(6).
2.The responsible authority's management activities for projects implemented in the Member States may be financed under the technical assistance arrangements referred to in Article 15.